Differential Effects of Marketing Messages in Online Advertising for an MBA Program

As Business programs compete for prospective MBA students, they need to understand what messages capture the attention of these students, prompting them to seek additional information about the program. In light of new program options and the changing competitive environment, the messages that are effective today may be quite different from those that resonated just a few years ago. Since different messages may be relevant to different target markets, this study focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of certain messages in reaching working professionals who are seeking a flexible MBA program. The results show that a message indicating national ranking is more effective than messages of value or convenience.